July 25, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Near Road 36N18 in a Lava Bed
Miles: 23

Adrian:
We stayed at Subway Cave Campground last night after hiking into the dark. Lots of people were there and only a few spots next to the highway were still available.

After leaving camp around 6:30 a.m., a short stroll to the Subway Cave led us to the 25'x50' entrance to the lava tube. The walls and floor were quite smooth and the ceiling arched just like a subway. There was a total lack of any stalactites or stalagmites as one would find in a karst limestone cavern. We did need headlamps and jackets, as it was cold and over a third of a mile long.

After leaving the cave we began our 30-mile waterless section. The trail climbed up to Hat Creek Rim, a fault line basically. The area burned back in the 80's if I remember correctly, and now it is a totally exposed, crazy hot section. Lots of lava around gives it a Vulcan's Realm look and feel.

We hooked up with Glowworm for a bit, who is recovering from a nasty spider bite. While visiting the doctor for treatment, he was told for the second time this trip (first time was for an infected blister) that the current ailment would most likely take him off the trail. Guess what? He's still on and hanging in there. He's a toughy.

Just before camp I spotted a cute looking owl and we spent a few minutes blinking at each other no more than 20 feet apart. He flew away before I could show Kirsten. Shortly after that encounter, I was surprised by a nice sized garner snake basking on the trail. It was nice to see some other living beings on the trail again (other than just PCTers, who are also becoming more scarce these days). Good times...

Kirsten:
Ever hike through fine powdered hot chocolate mix - you know, the gourmet stuff that comes in a large metal can? That's what I did today. Only the powdery mix was dirt.
This superfine talcum powder is amazingly sticky. With every step little dust plumes rise into the air, attaching itself to my legs, hands and pack.

My time in the desert was the perfect prep course for Hat Creek Rim. The oftentimes-stifling heat didn't slow me down as much as I had expected. The hike started out pretty nice this morning as we rose from the valley floor up to the rim. The temperature was manageable until about 1 p.m. It was around that time I started to fade and hourly breaks became necessary. Thankfully, there are two water caches along this 30-mile dry section.

The views today, and just about every other day the past two weeks, are limited at best. Smoke from area fires has settled on the horizon, blotting out the mountains including Lassen Peak and Mount Shasta. I thought back to a time on the trail when the sky was bluebird clear. And I realized there has been a smoky haze for at least part of the day since Mammoth Lakes. That was mile 950. My mind these days is focused on possible fires north of here and I wonder, will the whole trail be up in flames by the end of summer?